1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a vehicle equipment position control system and the method for shifting positions of vehicle equipment such as a driver seat and a steering wheel from a drive position to a getting in/out position or vice versa, in order to facilitate driver's getting in and out.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An example of a prior-art vehicle equipment position control apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Published Unexamined (Kokai) Utility Model Appli. No. 63-158432. In this prior-art apparatus, a vehicle seat can be moved back and forth automatically according to the door opening and closing conditions, when the passenger gets into or out of the vehicle, in order to facilitate the passenger's getting in and out of action.
In more detail, when the passenger opens a door, since a vehicle seat moves automatically rearwards, a space through which the passenger gets into or out of the car is broadened. Further, when the door is closed, the vehicle seat moves automatically frontward to locate the vehicle seat to a driving position.
In the above-mentioned prior-art apparatus, since nothing is taken into account of the mutual relationship between the door opening/closing condition and the ignition key operation, there exist various problems as follows:
For instance, the driver often stops the engine by turning an ignition key to a lock position (key removal position) at a gasoline service station, while gasoline is being refueled, without getting out of the car. Thereafter, however, when the driver opens the door to get out of the car for payment, since the power supply of the control circuit has already been turned off, it is impossible to shift the vehicle seat rearward for broadening a space in front of the vehicle seat.
Further, the driver often the door to stretch his head out to see behind him when parks the vehicle by driving it in reverse to a position close to a rear wall. In this case, however, since the door is open with the ignition key kept turned on, the vehicle seat is shifted automatically rearward, so that the driver cannot move the vehicle backwards safely.
Furthermore, the driver often turns off the ignition key to stop the engine and gets off the car at a parking place, without removing the ignition key. In this case, since the ignition key is turned off and therefore the power supply of the control circuit is kept off, the vehicle seat will not be moved backward, even if the door is open. Thus, the space in front of the vehicle seat will not be broadened to ease the driver's exit.